Trusts and Estates

Practice Contact

A law firm does not survive for over a century and a half without being dedicated to its clients’ long-term goals. Providing personalized service focused on our clients’ individual needs has always been a hallmark of our practice, and nowhere is this better exemplified than in our Trusts and Estates department.

Comprehensive Estate Planning Services in New York and New Jersey

Located in our New York City, Garden City and Hackensack offices, our trusts and estates attorneys prepare wills and other wealth transfer documents for clients with varying family circumstances and levels of wealth. We assist clients with the selection and preparation of documents ranging from generation-skipping trusts for grandchildren to special needs trusts designed to ensure continued access to Medicaid, always giving due consideration to the frequently-changing laws that govern wealth transfers and taxation. Our firm’s long history is a testament to our dedication to practicality and cost-effectively meeting our clients’ estate planning needs.

For the convenience of our clients, we currently hold over 2,000 original wills and living trust agreements in our vaults. We represent many clients who are children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of ancestors who were also clients of the firm, including descendants of John Roebling, who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. In many instances, clients who move away from New York and New Jersey continue to seek our assistance even after relocating.

We Provide Estate Planning Services with Your Long-Term Needs in Mind

When seeking legal representation for estate planning, it is important to choose a lawyer who possesses both the technical knowledge and the practical experience to help you achieve your goals and minimize the risk of costly family litigation. Changes in family circumstances can require modifications to your estate plan as well, and at Cullen and Dykman we emphasize forging lasting relationships with our clients so that we can provide advice and guidance when the need arises. For example, some of the types of changes that can influence your estate plan include:

Marriage or divorce

Death of a spouse

Death of an appointed executor, trustee or guardian

Birth, marriage or death of a child

Adoption of a child

Medical or substance abuse issues

Changes in wealth or employment status

Formation, acquisition or sale of a family-owned business

Acquisition or sale of real estate or other high-value property

Changes in insurability

Changes in a health condition

Relocation

Retirement

Changes in laws

We help clients proactively plan for potential changes and address changes as they arise, working to craft durable and comprehensive estate plans that will serve our clients and their loved ones for decades to come.